[manhatten men 2] A Marrying Man (6 page)

I had time to kill, so instead of being a liar, I went to my parents’ house. My brother and father were both in recliners, beers in hand, football on the TV. My brother winked at me and I scowled as I made my way into the kitchen. My mother was at the stove and I leaned and kissed her cheek.

“Hi, Mom.”
“Make yourself useful.” She handed me a pan. “What am I making?”
My mother turned to face me and smiled. I knew that

look, I’d seen it before when she thought she knew something I didn’t. I put the pan down and crossed my arms waiting for her to break out with her thoughts.

“How’s Blaine?” My mother watched my features closely.
“He’s fine, in fact, I’m meeting him later.”
“Hmm. Your brother said you took him with you to the airport.”
I nodded. “I did.”
“Oh, why?”
My mom turned back to the stove and I leaned against the counter.
“Because the last time I spoke to Slater, we argued. I brought Blaine as back up just in case Slater decided to fight with me.”
“Interesting.” My mother busied herself with the pan of whatever she was making. I couldn’t tell what it was; I’m not sure I wanted to know.
“Why? I just felt like it would be easier if I had a buffer. You know Slater and I got into it pretty heavy when he went Ranger.”
My mother looked over her shoulder.
“Slater seems to think you have a crush on Blaine.”
I knew my mouth dropped open. My mother smiled at me and wiped her hands off on a towel. She turned to face me and I looked anywhere but at her.
“Spencer.”
“Yes?”
“Look at me.”
I raised my eyes to my mom’s and saw a big smile on her face.
“Your father and I were actually surprised when you married Vanessa.”
I opened my mouth but she stopped my next words from coming out.
“When you were younger, in high school, we saw the way you looked at other boys. Your father and I figured you liked boys then. Then, when you went to college and brought Vanessa home for Thanksgiving, well, we were stumped. Your father thought maybe you were bi, like Slater.”
“You’ve known Slater was bi?” I asked in astonishment.
“Have you ever known your brother to be less than honest in anything? He loves the shock value of the truth.”
Well that was true. The first time I’d done both of our laundry, I’d come across his sock. I shivered at that memory. Slater had taken great pleasure in telling me why it was crusty.
“You look shocked, dear,” my mother grinned.
“I just,” I stumbled to find the words. My parents had thought I was gay? They never mentioned it? “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“We figured when you were ready, you’d tell us. Your father and I spent decades around gay men and women, darling. We couldn’t care less who you love as long as they love you back. So tell me, can you see yourself with Blaine?”
“If you can’t, I can see myself with him.”
I sighed loudly and looked over my shoulder at Slater.
“Shut up,” I laughed.
“He’s extra cute!” Slater lisped.
“I have to go now.” I sidestepped Slater in the doorway and made a quick run for the front door.
“He’s got such pretty eyes!” Slater sing-songed from the kitchen.
“Shut up!” I shouted.
“Bye, son,” my father laughed from his chair.

I found Blaine across the street from the ice skating rink. I pulled up next to him and opened the door. Blaine slid in.

I turned up the heat in my car and looked across the street. We were on 50
^th
, which gave us a good vantage point, sort of. The rink sat below street level and flags and shrubs marred my view at the moment.
“I can’t see them, can you?” Blaine asked.
“The flags are in the way,” I chuckled.
“Do you have binoculars?”
I stared at him.
“What?” he asked.
“Yes, Blaine. I always carry binoculars in my car for

those times I feel like stalking people.”
“I have some in mine,” Blaine mumbled.
He noticed me staring at him and looked away. “I bird watch sometimes.”
“Uh huh.” I nodded. “Okay.”
“There! I see them!” Blaine sat up taller in his seat

I looked to where Blaine was pointing and saw Kent on one knee in front of Terry. Kent had a box in his hand and Terry’s hands were over his mouth. I swore I heard Terry squeal from in the car.

“Look! He’s putting the ring on!” Blaine jumped up and down in his seat.
I had to smile. Kent swept Terry up in his arms and kissed him. Terry deserved this; he’d found love in the most unusual way, but he had found it nonetheless.
“Let’s go down there!” Blaine almost shouted.
I pulled my jacket around me as I exited the car. Blaine was already in motion and I grabbed his arm yanking him back. A taxi honked at us and the driver threw out the F word at Blaine.
“Fuck you too, asshole!” I shouted, flipping him off. I turned to Blaine and shot him a look. “You’d think it was you who got the proposal.”
Blaine snorted, then took off across the street when the cars let up. I followed and stood next to him at the entrance watching Terry and Kent still kissing on the ice.
“He looks so happy,” Blaine sighed in awe.
“Which one?”
“Both,” Blaine said, turning to look at me.
His cheeks were reddened from the cold, and his eyes actually sparkled in the light. God, the man looked beautiful. I coughed lightly and turned my attention back to the rink. Kent and Terry were making their way towards us. My phone chimed and I looked at the text message.
Morrell’s?
I looked up at Blaine. “Morrell’s?”
Blaine seemed to fidget. “Um, how about Harry’s?”
I raised both brows. “Pizza?”
Blaine shrugged. “Why not? Terry loves their pizza.”
I texted Kent back and got the okay. I had to smile. Blaine suggesting pizza was out of the ordinary for him, I was sure. We walked along the street in silence; Blaine’s hands were stuffed in his pockets.
“Remember, we’re dating now,” I said.
Blaine tripped and almost fell. I grabbed his bicep and steadied him. His warm breath fanned my face in the cold and I snaked an arm around his waist, pulling him in closer. There was a soft gasp, and Blaine’s hand rested on my chest.
“Why are you always tripping over yourself?” I asked with a hint of playfulness in my voice.
“You’re on a mission to make me pay and pay and pay for that bet, aren’t you?” Blaine scowled.
I looked at Blaine’s lips with a grin. “Maybe I have a different mission.”
“Hey, guys!”
I smiled at Terry’s familiar voice behind me. I leaned in even closer to Blaine. “Ready to play the devoted boyfriend?” I whispered.
Blaine’s eyes widened as I neared his perfect lips. The slap on my back from Kent had me backing away from Blaine with a grin. I turned and put my arms out to Terry.
“Congratulations!”
Terry’s eyes widened. “You
knew!?”
“Uh oh,” Kent laughed.
Blaine laughed and clapped Kent on the back. “Congratulations, man! I’m so happy for you!”
“You both knew?” Terry almost shouted.
“So? Who’s up for pizza?” I blurted.
Terry narrowed his eyes at me.
Crap.
We sat in the back of the restaurant and laughed our asses off. I, of course, asked Terry when the wedding was to which he replied they hadn’t discussed that part yet. I smiled over at Blaine and took his hand. If he was surprised, he didn’t show it. I leaned over and kissed his cheek just to see if he was breathing. Blaine smiled at me and played it up in front of Terry, but behind those eyes, the anger was evident.
I was so going to hear from him soon.
Again. Crap.

I swear to God, I was going to kill Spencer. The whole time we were eating, he had to touch me in some small way. I’m all for acting it up, but damn. I

was so horny by the time we parted from Kent and Terry I wanted to go home and masturbate until my dick fell off. I had to sit there in front of Kent and Terry and act like Spencer was my whole world.

The worst part?
I wanted him to be.
I’d never gotten over my Stock Exchange crush.

I looked out the window as Spencer drove me home. I’d wanted to take a cab but Spencer thought it would look better if he took me home in his car. We turned onto Central Park West and I looked over at Spencer.

“Turn in right there,” I pointed.
Spencer snorted. “Of course.”
I slumped in my seat. I couldn’t wait to get away

from Spencer. I felt bad for having money. I worked for it, though. Once I’d gotten the job at Hawke, I paid my own way for everything.

“What? No nightcap?” Spencer looked over at me with a snarky grin. “I’d love to see your spread.”
“I bet you would. I bet you’d like to make me feel like shit for what I have and who I am, right? Well I get it, Spencer; I’m a pretentious asshole, okay? You’re right; I’m wrong. I made a bet with Kent and Terry got hurt. Trust me; I know how bad it was! Now stop the fucking car and let me out!”
Spencer stopped the car on the side of the street and I reached for the door handle. My arm was jerked and I was pulled towards Spencer.
“Jesus! Calm down okay!” Spencer sighed loudly.
“I learned my lesson. Please stop fucking with my head,” I whispered. God, I sounded so pathetic. Fingers tucked under my chin and Spencer pulled my face up to his. His steel eyes searched mine.
“Is that what you think?” he asked.
“I think you don’t like me, and you’re finding fun and new ways to torture me. I’m glad you had fun tonight, Spencer. I’ll see you for the fitting.”
I jumped out of the car and ran for my building before Spencer could say anything.
I felt like a drama queen.
Once inside my building, I leaned against the wall and took some deep breaths. What the hell? Since when was I such a little bitch? Spencer had control over everything and I did not like that one bit. I took the elevator up and walked out into my interior decorating magazine apartment. I threw my keys on the table with a heavy sigh and trudged to my room.
Starting tomorrow, my apartment was going to look like someone actually lived in it.

Thursday morning I sat in my office and stared at the wall. I had to come up with an ad campaign for a car company. So far, I hadn’t come up with dick. My mind was elsewhere. My mother had called at nine in the morning to invite me out to the house in Staten Island. Dinner, she said. Drinks, I knew. I really didn’t want to sit through another dinner with her complaining about my dad. Plus, I was keeping his secret, and my mother, as I’ve said, can work someone until they cry. I broke one of her Waterford glasses when I was younger and I swear her interrogation skills would rival an NYPD detective’s any day.

My father had called to let me know he was staying a bit longer. In a way, I was glad for it. I knew he didn’t have a sexual addiction, or at least I hoped he didn’t. I knew he loved my mother. There were times I would stay at the house on Staten Island and see them together at the breakfast table. My father would dote on her and my mother would flash him her brilliant smile.

I sighed loudly.
I hadn’t slept well the last two nights and I was avoiding Spencer. Terry had come over on Wednesday

and picked through my apartment. The mirror was off my bedroom ceiling at least. My furniture had been packed up and taken to whoever needed it the most. The only things left in my apartment were my bed and a table to eat on. The more I looked at my place, the more I felt like I didn’t belong in it.

I hadn’t spoken to Spencer since the night of the proposal, but I was going to see him again on Monday for the tux fitting. I knew Terry had formally asked him to be his best man; it was all he could talk about while he DIY’d my apartment. I rubbed my face with my hands and almost jumped out of my chair when my intercom buzzed me.

“Mr.—um, Blaine? There’s someone here to see you.” Casper’s friendly, yet awed voice came through the speaker.

I wasn’t expecting anyone. Was I? I looked down at my calendar, I didn’t have any meetings.
“Who is it, Casper?” I asked curiously.
“He says his name is Captain America, but I’m pretty

sure it’s not him.”
Another voice came over my speaker, and although
I’d met him briefly, I knew that tone already.
“Says who?”
“Let him in, Casper. That would be Slater Cassidy,” I
said.
The door to my office cracked open and Slater’s head
poked around it. He smiled at me and I sat up in my
chair. Casper came in the room and stood with his back
to Slater. I kept my face blank as Slater eyed Casper
from head to toe with an appreciative eye.
“Do you need me for anything?” Casper asked. “Oh, I do.” Slater licked his lips, staring at Casper’s
ass.
Casper turned to Slater and put his hands on his hips.
“Do you mind?”
“Damn, the front view is even better than the back.”
Slater winked.
I swear I saw Casper’s jaw tick. The way Slater was
eye-sexing my secretary, I felt like a voyeur.
“Do you know how rude and inappropriate that is?”
Casper glared at Slater.
Slater seemed to ponder the question thoroughly, and
then nodded.
“Yup.”
It took everything I had not to laugh at Slater
drooling over Casper.
“Slater, stop sexually harassing my secretary,” I
drawled.
“But he’s so adorable. How ’bout you give a soldier
on leave a good send off?”
“How about no?” Casper looked over his shoulder at
me. “Will that be all?”
“Yes, thank you Casper.” I smiled.
“Come on, Casper. I can be in and out in fifteen
minutes.” Slater licked his lips following Casper’s ass
out the door with his eyes.
“God, that says a lot about your stamina,” Casper
threw over his shoulder as he shut the door.
“Ouch!” Slater laughed.
I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped me. Slater
sauntered over to the chair in front of my desk and sat
down. He was wearing a rock band T-shirt and faded
jeans and a jacket that hugged him in all the right places.
The guy was muscular.
“How can I help you, Slater?” I sat back in my chair
and threaded my fingers together.
“Are you free for lunch?”
“Are you hitting on me?” I sat forward and eyed him. Slater leaned forward as well and put his elbows on
my desk.
“Do you want me to?”
It dawned on me that I had just met this man. How
did he know where I worked?
“How did you find me?”
Slater sat back again and searched my features. His
eyes landed on my lips and I fidgeted uncomfortably in
my chair.
“I’m a soldier. I make it my business to pay attention
to every little detail. I know your name; it wasn’t hard to
find you.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said slowly.
Spencer may not like me, but I wasn’t going to joy ride
on his brother’s cock.
“It’s just a meal. It’s not like I’m going to throw you
down in some dark alley and have my wicked way with
you.” Slater tilted his head in thought. “But I could.
What do you weigh? Maybe a buck fifty?”
“Slater, get to the reason you came by.” I raised both
brows.
“Maybe I just want to get to know you. Is that so
hard to believe? It’s only lunch. You name the place.” I thought that over. A harmless lunch with a hot guy.
I could keep my hands to myself. I had a crush on the
older Cassidy brother and no matter how much Slater
looked like Spencer, he wasn’t him.
“Okay,” I said. “How about a hot dog?”
Slater shuddered in the chair and licked his lips.
“You eating a hot dog?”
“Pizza it is,” I said, getting up from my chair. Slater
followed me out and I stopped at Casper’s desk. “I’ll be
out to lunch with Captain America,” I chuckled. Casper rolled his eyes. “
Lucky you
!”
Slater put his hands on the desk and leaned over it.